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January 2012

Inside this Issue

ETS Seniors & Highlights

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H. S. Overnight, M.S. Summer & Thanks

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Orientation, Senior Dinner, Tutoring and New Grant

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Congratulations to 2011 Seniors Going to College

Congratulations to our 2011 seniors who are continuing their education after high school. These seniors represent the best of ETS. Many of these students have participated in ETS since middle school. Fifty-three ETS seniors this year have enrolled at twenty-three different institutions of higher education. UC Clermont continues to be the most popular choice, with twenty-two enrolled. Five are enrolled at Cincinnati State, four at the University of Cincinnati Uptown campus and two each at Northern Kentucky University and Shawnee State University. We also have 2011 graduates enrolled at a number of other institutions, including Berea College, Bowling Green State University, Campbellsville University, Christ College of Nursing, College of Mt. St. Joseph, Evangel University, Miami University, Morehead State University, Kent State University, Ohio State University, Thomas More College, University of the Cumberlands, University of Southern Mississippi, Wilmington College, Wright State University, and Xavier University. This is the sixth consecutive year in which most of our seniors going to college are enrolled at four-year institutions. We appreciate the commitment to their future these graduates have made by their participation in ETS, and we wish them the best in the future. ETS means success.

2010-2011 Highlights 2010-2011 was an interactive, packed year. High school students got a first class hands-on experience at the University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters College (now UC Blue Ash College) throughout the day while exploring Veterinary Technology, Dental Hygiene, Electronic Media, and Career Services. Dental Hygiene treated everyone to a free toothbrush and tube of toothpaste, and they let us play with dental tools and large ceramic teeth. Career Services played a game with students to teach them about the paperwork side of going to college, which is highly important. However, Electronic Media stole the day by fully engaging students in the art of film making. With the assistance of the Electronic Media Communications department, students produced a short film titled Halloween edition of Media Mischief. Students created animation on film, recorded a soundtrack, and worked in the television studio.

Our visit to Wright State University offered high school students a unique campus tour through its tunnels and a great admission and financial aid presentation. Students learned about the Army ROTC program and scholarship information. Cool army gadgets were given to us for answering questions correctly. The day ended with a tour of the Presidential Gallery and Research & Development at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

A college visit to the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Arts, and Planning and College-Conservatory of Music exposed students to the rigorous requirements for entrance into highly competitive creative programs. Inspiration to compete could have been found in watching set design students design a stage set or in standing on the grand recital stage in front of an imaginary audience or while walking through enormous backstage doors and seeing behind the scene.

Of course the coolest event, temperature wise that is, was our annual 7th grade college visit to Northern Kentucky University, which was followed by snow tubing at Perfect North Slopes for a slushy good time. In addition to learning about college admission, preparing academically for college, and campus life, our students delved deep into the world of science and space. Chemistry revealed itself during quick guided experiments. Color prism glasses brought the color spectrum to life, and the properties of fire became apparent while mixing fire with various chemicals. We traveled far into the galaxy where none of us had been before, all while sitting within Haile Digital Planetarium.

In April 2011 8th graders toured Ohio State University campus and stadium. During our campus tour we saw classrooms, colleges, libraries, lakes, dorms, recreational center and more. Our tour of the OSU Stadium provided a unique experience; we walked where the OSU band enters the stadium; we stood in the press hallway where sports writers watch the game; we toured suites that cost $10,000 per month for rent; we ran for touchdowns and turned cartwheels on the playing field.

Photo album: http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh516/mccallte/2010%20-%202011%20College%20Visits/

Educational Talent Search Educational Talent Search

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2011 Overnight High School College Visit to Washington, D.C. In June 2011, Talent Search students in grades 10 -11 participated in our annual High School Overnight College Visit. Our Program Director, Mr. Dan Schneider, and Educational Advisors, Mrs. Cindy Leibold (New Richmond,) Mrs. Shari Taylor (Batavia, CNE, Goshen,) and Mrs. Tonya Russell (Williamsburg, Bethel, Felicity, Grant) welcomed students to UC East for an EARLY morning departure aboard a Croswell tour bus for West Virginia University (a public school in Morgantown). Our students not only toured the campus and sat in on an engaging information session, but also enjoyed a special chance to meet with WVU’s Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Huggins, former coach of UC’s Final Four Men’s Basketball Program. Coach Huggins was gracious enough to come to campus especially to see us, and he gave a great talk to our students about hard work, dedication, and making the most of your time in college. Thanks to Coach and the fine people at WVU! After we traveled the remainder of our journey to the nation’s capital, we settled into our hotel and enjoyed some time in the pool, which was great because it was hot and HUMID in College Park, Maryland (and the entire D.C. area!) Our second day took us right into the Capitol’s main district to the National Archives, where we were able to view the most important hand-written documents any American ever created: the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. This was a wonderful experience, and we left the Archives really feeling a part of our own history. We next made our way back to College Park to visit the University of Maryland. U of M is a large, beautiful, architectural, historic public school that has much to offer prospective students. In fact, if you don’t find a major that inspires you, you can do as former student Jim Henson did, and create your own major! (His was puppetry -- of course!!) Before leaving campus, we were even able to enjoy some of U of M’s own ice cream from the on-campus ice cream shop. Muppets, higher education, AND ice cream? It doesn’t get much better! After enjoying some down time swimming and eating pizza dinner, we hopped back on our bus and returned to the original Capitol Post Office to meet our tour guide, who had us laughing our way through the city and all its glorious history and monuments. We learned so much and saw such beauty on our nighttime monument tour, that we’ll not take our earlier leaders and important events for granted anymore. It was a late night, but we arose early the last morning to fight both the traffic and getting lost for an abbreviated visit to American University. AU is a gem of a private school just up the road from Diplomat’s Row where all of our foreign dignitaries live, and where students can hope to enjoy great opportunities working among the highest levels of government. We rounded out our last day by visiting the Capitol Building and were hosted by an aide from Congresswoman Jean Schmidt’s office who coordinated our awesome tour and visit to the House Gallery, where we watched the work of our nation’s House of Representatives being done. We were also lucky enough to squeeze in a visit to the top of the Washington Monument to marvel at the sights below before we ate dinner down the street from the White House and headed back for home. We had a long and busy trip that we aren’t likely to forget anytime soon. Thanks to all who attended!

Photo album: http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh516/mccallte/2011%20High%20School%20Overnight%20Trip/

A Big to Participating Schools!

The Clermont County Schools participating in ETS are:

Batavia Middle & High Schools

Bethel-Tate Middle & High Schools

Clermont Northeastern Middle & High Schools

Felicity-Franklin Middle & High Schools

Goshen Middle & High Schools

New Richmond Middle & High Schools

Williamsburg Middle & High Schools

Grant Career Center

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Middle School Summer Program ETS provides a week of activities for 6th , 7th , and 8th grade students in June. There is a fun- filled day of activities for each separate grade level. Then on Friday all three grades participate jointly in a day at Coney Island.

This Place is a Zoo! The ETS sixth graders first participation day in the summer program was a day at the Cincinnati Zoo. The activities for the day began in the Vine Street Parking Lot, where the students learned why our zoo is The Greenest Zoo in America. In a joint project with the Melink Corporation, the zoo now has the largest Urban Solar Array installed above the parking lot. This 1.56 megawatt solar canopy enables the zoo to create 20% of its energy needs directly from the sun. During the morning students explored the zoo and viewed the animals using the Zoo Scavenger Hunt. During lunch in a picnic pavilion the students experienced a wildlife encounter. A handler visited with several reptiles that the students could actually touch as they learned about the animals. The afternoon activity was a tour of the CREW facilities (Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife). The day at the zoo concluded with a 4D movie in a theatre which combines 3D projection with thrilling sensory effects. Photo album: http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh516/mccallte/2011%206th%20grade%20summer%20event%20at%20Cincinnati%20Zoo/

A Day in the Circus Excitement cannot be contained after flying on a trapeze bar 30 feet in the air, above a safety net of course! The first requirement of the trapeze is no fear of heights or at least a willingness to make peace with your fear of heights. Its second requirement is trust in the safety harness wrapped around your body that is attached to ropes 40 feet in the air and to the ground in the hands of those trained in circus safety. The third requirement is the determination to complete the 30 foot climb up a ladder and then stand on a jiggling scaffold where you’re instructed not to worry because your safety rope will be held onto until it’s time for you to jump and fly. Things move quickly after your safety hook and safety rope are secured to the trapeze bar’s lines. To take flight you must wrap your left hand around the scaffold’s frame, which aids in balance as you lean forward as far as you can and then stretch the right arm out to grasp the trapeze bar, jump, and fly. The Cincinnati Circus staff taught us not only how to fly on the flying trapeze but also how to juggle, walk a tight rope, run on a large ball, throw rhythm sticks, and how to do basic arial tricks on silk ropes. We wrapped up our day with team work and exercise bowling.

Photo album: http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh516/mccallte/2011%208th%20grade%20summer%20event/

Exploration and Fun in Northern Kentucky Seventh graders explored the history of American entertainment and pop culture through the unique lens of ventriloquism at the Vent Haven Museum, the only museum in the world dedicated to the art of ventriloquism (the art of throwing voices). Vent Haven Museum located in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky is home to over 700 dummies (made of wood) and soft puppets (made of fabric). The figurines’ ages range from the 1700’s up to the 21st century. The mysterious mechanical functions of a dummy were unveiled as we learned the difference between a complex dummy, which consists of five keys, versus a simple dummy with only three keys. Keys are pushed to make a figurine gesture with its eyes, eyebrows, ears, nose, or forehead. Famous figures from contemporary times such as Madame from the Muppets, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Lamb Chop, and Jeff Dunham’s Walter who appeared in a Hertz commercial can be seen up close at Vent Haven Museum. Interesting pieces of history are found at Vent Haven Museum such as the four dummies belonging to 19th century American ventriloquist William Wood. While traveling on the Gulf of Mexico with eight of his dummies, Mr. Wood died from a shipwreck. Four of the dummies survived the shipwreck because they floated to shore and are now housed at Vent Haven Museum. Curator Jennifer Dawson arranged for sixteen year old Dylan Burdette to perform for us. Dylan recently starred in the documentary Dumbstruck. Jennifer also taught us about the museum’s founder, Cincinnati native William Shakespeare Berger. We rolled the day up with skating at Beechmont Rollarena.

Photo album: http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh516/mccallte/2011%207th%20grade%20summer%20event/

Coney Day On Friday the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from all participating districts boarded the buses for a day at Coney Island. They had unlimited access to the Sunlite Pool and waterslides, the classic amusement park rides, and the paddle boats on Lake Como. A traditional picnic lunch and an ice cream treat were enjoyed by all. Renewing old friendships and establishing new ones among students from the partici-pating schools made for a great day as they segued into summer vacation.

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6th Grade Orientation 2011 On the morning of December 3, 2011, Talent Search 6th grade students and their families participated in an Orientation Program and movie at Rave Motion Pictures in Milford, Ohio. Our Program Director Mr. Dan Schneider, Administrative Secretary Mrs. Tammy McCall, Academic Tutors Mrs. Jane Gjessing and Mrs. Pat Keene, and Educational Advisors, including Mrs. Shari Taylor (Batavia, CNE, Goshen) and Mrs. Tonya Russell (Williamsburg, Be-thel, Felicity) greeted students from their schools for an information session addressing program mission, objectives, and overview, intro-duction and background of staff, as well as future opportunities and expectations. We then settled in for a fantastic viewing of the movie HUGO in 3D. Hugo is based on an award-winning children’s book, THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. Hugo is a boy who is determined to overcome roadblocks, find a happy future, and make his dreams come true…all things we hope for our students too!

2011 Senior Dinner In May 2011, Talent Search graduating seniors, Talent Search staff, and special guests, UC Clermont College Dean Dr. Gregory Sojka and Assistant Dean of Enrollment and Student Services Ann Appleton, participated in our annual Senior Dinner celebration. Our Program Director Mr. Dan Schneider, Academic Tutors Mrs. Jane Gjessing and Mrs. Pat Keene, and Educational Ad-visors, Mrs. Cindy Leibold (New Richmond,) Mrs. Shari Tay-lor (Batavia, CNE, Goshen) and Mrs. Tonya Russell (Williamsburg, Bethel, Felicity, Grant) welcomed graduat-ing seniors from their schools for an evening of fine dining, savoring accomplishments and futures, good con-versation, and good company at the Montgomery Inn Boat-house in Cincinnati on the Ohio River. After we all had the chance to spend some time getting to know one another better and reminisce about our times together over delicious food, our guest speaker, Dean Sojka, shared an inspiring and often humorous tale about how he got to where he is today. He shared not only wonderful stories of his youth, but also specific and useful tips on success that we can all carry with us. After many well-wishes and thanks were conveyed to our graduates, they bid a final goodbye on this phase of their journey with the Talent Search Program, heading on toward a bright future. Thanks to all who attended, and congratulations to the entire ETS class of 2011!! Photo album: http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh516/mccallte/2011%20Senior%20Dinner/

Tutoring is available! As our schools find tough and creative ways to deal with budget cuts, they can still count on the ETS tutors! Academic Tutors, Mrs. Gjessing and Mrs. Keene, visit schools on a weekly basis to meet with students active with ETS who are interested in obtaining help on curriculum material or brushing up for upcoming standardized testing – OAA, OGT, ACT. These educators welcome any work or feedback offered by teachers. Students are advised that event participation is contingent on academic standing.

All ETS photo albums: http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh516/mccallte/

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Educational Talent Search Receives Grant!

Educational Talent Search recently received a grant for $1,408,751 from the United States Department of Education, Office of TRIO Programs, to continue services through 2016. UC Clermont College was awarded the grant based on its application and on prior experience points that are awarded for successful completion of program objectives.

We are successful because our students are successful. Successful completion of program objectives is based on the successes of our students. By actively participating in ETS and keeping their grades up, taking a rigorous program of study, graduating from high school, and visiting and enrolling in colleges and universities that will support them in completing a degree, our students contribute to ETS continuing our funding and allowing us to serve more students each year.

We should also remember that all federal funding depends on Congress continuing to vote for funding each year. Members of Congress are discussing ways to reduce funding for the federal government in Washington, DC. These discussions could lead to cuts in spending on the federal TRIO programs, including Educational Talent Search. Depending on what your experience is and has been with ETS, you have a civic right to contact members of Congress and express your views on the effectiveness of the TRIO programs.

Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee that makes decisions on how federal money will be spent. His phone number is (202) 224-2315, and he can be reached by email: http://brown.senate.gov/contact

Senator Rob Portman of Ohio is a member of the Senate Budget Committee that drafts Congress’s annual budget plan and monitors actions on the budget for the federal government. His phone number is (202) 224-3353, and he can be reached by email: http://portman.senate.gov

Representative Jean Schmidt represents Clermont and Brown Counties in the United States House of Representatives. Her phone number is (202) 225-3164, and she can be reached by email: http://www.house.gov/schmidt

If you have any questions, please contact me at (513) 558-7437 or at dan.schneider@uc.edu

Dan Schneider

TRIO Educational Talent Search Director

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Educational Talent Search is a federally funded TRIO program.

Our Mission

Educational Talent Search at the Univer-sity of Cincinnati Clermont College en-courages and enhances the intellectual, cultural and social development of mid-dle and high school students in Cler-mont County through learning experi-ences that supplement the school experi-ence and promote participation in post-secondary education.